Safety-match card.



B. N. HANDLER & A.-ALEXANDER.,

SAFETY MATCH CARD.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJ. I916.

Patented July 3, 1917.

nue m-f SAFETY-MATCH. CARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatentedl July 3, 1am.

Application filed August 7, 1916. Serial No. 113,465.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, BENJAMIN N. HAND- LER and ALEXANDER ALEXANDER, citizens of the United States, and residing in Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, and New York, city, county, and State of New York, respectively, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Match Cards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to what is known as safety match cards, and has for its object the protection of the unsevered matches against ignition upon the striking of a single detached match against the igniting material, and furthermore, the protection of the ignition material itself from moisture and abrasion, besides other advantages which are apparent from an examination of the hereinafter described construction. We are aware that it has been proposed, as set forth in Patent No. 1,167,990 to provide igniting material upon the rear face of the card, or as shown in Patent No. 1,182,930, to provide a drop-match carrying flap so that the matches can fall away from a central flap. Furthermore, it has been proposed to provide an apron or shield such as described in Patents Nos. 1,125,647 and 1,168,900. Each of the foregoing constructions however difiers from that proposed herein, and fails to possess the advantages of our construction as hereinafter described.

Our invention is fully set forth in the accompanying specification. and drawings forming a part hereof in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved match card with the inclosing flap elevated;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same with the match carrying flap in a protruding position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the match card in a closed position;

Fig. 4: is a transverse section along the line H of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 1 of a modification in which the apron is formed separate from the match carrying flap in lieu of being integral therewith.

Referring to the drawings and the construction shown therein, the reference numerals 1 and 2 designate the sheets of the matches, the matches of each sheet having their butts integral as is well known, and

the said sheets being provided with slits 3 so as to form individual matches having separate heads 1. Preferably also as shown in Fig. 3 the alternate matches of each sheet are depressed orvstaggered, so to speak, so as to permit of each separate match being readily grasped by the hand of the user, such construction forming no part of our invention however.

The two sheets of the match card aforesaid are superimposed and secured within a casing comprising a main body portion or back 5 provided with a cover flap 6 and a butt or base 7. Immediately behind the rear sheet of the match card when in a closed position, is provided an apron 8 which carries igniting material a on its rear face, preferably adjacent the bottom thereof. If desired the apron maybe formed integral with the portion 5 of the casing as shown in Fig. 1, or separate therefrom as shown in Fig. 5. As shown, such apron is sufficiently long to extend beyond the ends of .said matches, beingpreferably curved so as to conform to the bend in the casing at the point of juncture of the cover 6 with the back 5 When said cover is in closed position as shown in Fig. 3. Preferably also as shown, the aforesaid sheets are held together by means of a staple 9 which secures the same to the base flap 7, but said staple does not extend through the main body portion 5 of the casing, as is sometimes customary, and as'a consequence the match card and its protecting apron readily fall into the position shown in Fig. 2 after the removal of a single match from one of the sheets.

As is evident from the foregoing descrip tion, our construction serves not only to protect the igniting material from the atmospheric moisture or from a damp object upon which the same may be accidentally laid, but it particularly protects the same against perspiration when carried in the pocket of a person in unusually hot weather or especially when such person is performing violent exercise. As a result the match card is rendered suitable for use where other match boxes or match cards have been found to be wholly unsatisfactory. Not only this, but the apron automatically drops into the position shown in Fig. 2, thus completely protecting the balance of the unsevered matches from being ignited by sparks which in many cases are produced uponthe striking of a -'severed match against the ignition surface.

Such ignition often occurs when a match card without a protecting apron is dropped into the position shown in Flg. 2, and a sev.

sary, after the removal of the match, to fold th flap over the matches as is required in 'su h a construction as disclosed in Patent 1,125,647, since in our construction the matches drop of their own weight carrying with them the apron and thus removing the other matches from proximity to the head.

of the severed match as it is brought in contact with the igniting material.

It is evident that minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention, as covered by the accom pan ing claims. v

aving thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A safety match card, comprising a plurality of matches united together at one end into a connecting strip, an enveloping casing comprising a back, j an integral, buttflap and a cover-flap, an apron normally positioned intermediate said matches and the back of said casing when the match card is in a closed positlon and adapted to extend beyond the head ends of said matches and at least partially envelop the same, igniting material positioned on the face of said apron adjacent the back of said casing when the match-card is in a closed position;

and means for securing said apron, said match strip and said butt-flap together so as to permit said matches to protrude from said casing While a severed match is being niting material positioned upon the rear face of said apron farthest from said matches and adjacent the butt-end of said apron.

3. A safety match c ard, comprising a plurality of matches having their butt-ends integral with each other, an integral casing comprising a back portion, a butt-flap and normally lying between said matches and I I said back portion of said casing when'thematch card is in a closed position, and iga cover-flap, an apron, integral with said casing, secured to the butt-ends of said 1 matches and said butt-flap, andextending beyond the head ends of said matches, said apron normally lying between said matches and said body portion of said casing when the match card is in a closed position, and ifgnitin material positioned upon the rear ace 0 apron. I

Signed at New York, county and State of New York, this 4th day of August, 1916.

BENJAMIN N. HANDLER.

ALEXANDER ALEXANDER.

said apron farthest from said, matches and adjacent the butt-end of said 

